Love Wins.

Brianna Culbertson

  • 11th April
    2013
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spiritualinspiration: Hate! We don’t like that word, do we? Especially when we are the target of hate. Yet those who are disciples of Jesus must realize that their hero was unjustly murdered by those who rejected him because of jealousy, hate, misunderstanding, and rivalry. Some of us will follow in his steps. Some, even to martyrdom itself. Our hardships and difficulties do not invalidate Jesus’ call. Neither does it invalidate our ministry. These problems are a reminder that there is a spiritual battle for every human heart. Satan will do all he can to silence the voices of those who bring God’s salvation.

spiritualinspiration:

Hate! We don’t like that word, do we? Especially when we are the target of hate. Yet those who are disciples of Jesus must realize that their hero was unjustly murdered by those who rejected him because of jealousy, hate, misunderstanding, and rivalry. Some of us will follow in his steps. Some, even to martyrdom itself. Our hardships and difficulties do not invalidate Jesus’ call. Neither does it invalidate our ministry. These problems are a reminder that there is a spiritual battle for every human heart. Satan will do all he can to silence the voices of those who bring God’s salvation.

(Source: luckyprep)

  • 11th April
    2013
  • 11
spiritualinspiration: Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Mark 1:35, NIV. Are you facing challenges today or feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances? Perhaps what you see on the outside doesn’t match what God has placed on the inside of you. The key is: don’t sit around in self-pity, depressed or discouraged. Go out and find someplace you can dream and connect with Almighty God. Go to the park and watch the sunset. Look up at the stars and think about His goodness. Take a break from the environment that seems to be holding you back. Find a place that inspires you, a place where you can meditate on His Word and let your faith be elevated. Stay in a good, Bible-based church where people are going to build you up and not tear you down; a place where people are going to challenge you to rise higher and become all that God has created you to be. I know people who get home from work every night and watch the same depressing TV shows week after week. Don’t let that be you! If you’re going to enlarge your vision, you’ve got to get out of a limited environment. Put yourself in an atmosphere of victory and success and move forward in the good things God has prepared for you!

spiritualinspiration:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Mark 1:35, NIV.

Are you facing challenges today or feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances? Perhaps what you see on the outside doesn’t match what God has placed on the inside of you. The key is: don’t sit around in self-pity, depressed or discouraged. Go out and find someplace you can dream and connect with Almighty God. Go to the park and watch the sunset. Look up at the stars and think about His goodness. Take a break from the environment that seems to be holding you back. Find a place that inspires you, a place where you can meditate on His Word and let your faith be elevated. Stay in a good, Bible-based church where people are going to build you up and not tear you down; a place where people are going to challenge you to rise higher and become all that God has created you to be.

I know people who get home from work every night and watch the same depressing TV shows week after week. Don’t let that be you! If you’re going to enlarge your vision, you’ve got to get out of a limited environment. Put yourself in an atmosphere of victory and success and move forward in the good things God has prepared for you!

  • 6th April
    2013
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  • 5th April
    2013
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  • 5th April
    2013
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  • 5th April
    2013
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  • 5th April
    2013
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Out for the night for my sister’s birthday!

Out for the night for my sister’s birthday!

  • 1st April
    2013
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  • 1st April
    2013
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  • 1st April
    2013
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  • 1st April
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  • 1st April
    2013
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  • 1st April
    2013
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The Cost of Forgiving and Not Forgiving

I receive Bible devotional emails periodically and I received one this morning that is a great reminder for all of us. It was called “The Cost of Forgiving and Not Forgiving”.

Colossians 3:12-13 says,
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

I know forgiveness is a subject we don’t talk about a lot in the modern day church, but it is vital to the unity of God’s people. Even if the person that has wronged you (intentionally or unintentionally) never acknowledges it in front of you or never apologizes, it is our individual responsibility to forgive those who have hurt us. It is a matter of the heart, but it can change a lot!

Also, try to remember that miscommunications and misunderstandings happen between humans! If you think this has happened, try talking with that person about it. Many times, these types of situations can be fixed fairly easily, just through simple communication.

Some things that all of us as Christians need to remember:

Jesus loves unconditionally. We should too.

What is love?

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Jesus forgave us, even when we didn’t acknowledge Him. We should forgive others, even if they don’t acknowledge us.

Jesus said as He was hanging on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do…” Luke 23:34

After we have forgiven someone in our hearts, what do we have to do? We have to let it go.

Think about this: When we ask for forgiveness from Christ, what does He do? He forgives us, and then remembers the sin no more! Praise the Lord for that!

Hebrews 8:12 says, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

What a beautiful picture from our perfect Savior. Now, as humans, our brains tend to dwell on the past, but we should strive towards the goal of “forgiving and forgetting”. If Satan keeps bringing up the past, remember you have been given the tools to defeat the devil and his demons in your life. It is the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18-the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit). 

Christians are called to be like Jesus. So if Jesus forgave, we are to forgive…whether or not the offender asks for forgiveness. I know this is hard, but we’ve gotta do it for us to accomplish significant things for Christ.

I heard Alex Kendrick (actor in “Facing the Giants”, “Courageous”, etc) talk about 3 battles every Christian faces.

1)Indiviual Battles (our own specific spiritual battles)

2)Corporate Battles (within the church)

3)Kingdom Battles (the fight for souls)

Now, let’s think about this: If the devil and his demons have us cought up in battles 1 and 2, then there is NO WAY we can focus on the BIG BATTLE, which is the Kingdom Battle, the fight for our lost friends, neighbors, co-workers. Don’t you think that’s exactly what Satan wants? For us to be so busy fighting and bickering and harboring bitterness toward other believers that we completely forget about the battle for souls, which is the main battle we were sent to this earth to fight for.

I don’t want you to think I’m preaching at you, because this message is just as much for me as it is for anyone else. This is just what God has been teaching me, and I shared, believing that maybe there is someone else who has struggled with forgiveness in the past or is struggling with it now.

Other scripture on forgiveness:

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

Matthew 5:23-24 “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you.”

I love you all, and most importantly, the Savior of the World-Jesus Christ- loves you too!

If you don’t know Him today, allow Him to come into your life and break every chain that so easily entagles the human soul. “There is power in the name of Jesus to break EVERY chain!”

Bri

  • 14th March
    2013
  • 14
spiritualinspiration: When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, not only is your eternity secure, but you immediately become a child of the Most High God. You instantly have an Everlasting Father! Think about that word everlasting. That means before the beginning of time, the Father was there. He was waiting for you to accept Him and become a child of His. I can only imagine that God was anticipating that day just like a father would anticipate the birth of his child in the natural. I can imagine that each day He would think, “Is it today?” I don’t know what your experience has been with your earthly father, but God is a good and perfect Father. He loves you with an everlasting love. He loves everything about you so much that He notices when a single hair falls from your head. He accepts you just the way you are, and He loves you enough to guide you and work His character in you. And, He will be your Father from now until eternity! He will never leave you nor forsake you. So thank Him for being your Everlasting Father today!

spiritualinspiration:

When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, not only is your eternity secure, but you immediately become a child of the Most High God. You instantly have an Everlasting Father! Think about that word everlasting. That means before the beginning of time, the Father was there. He was waiting for you to accept Him and become a child of His.

I can only imagine that God was anticipating that day just like a father would anticipate the birth of his child in the natural. I can imagine that each day He would think, “Is it today?”

I don’t know what your experience has been with your earthly father, but God is a good and perfect Father. He loves you with an everlasting love. He loves everything about you so much that He notices when a single hair falls from your head. He accepts you just the way you are, and He loves you enough to guide you and work His character in you. And, He will be your Father from now until eternity! He will never leave you nor forsake you. So thank Him for being your Everlasting Father today!

(Source: jcluforever)

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